Poly Anna well spotted in Friday allowance feature
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Coming off a half-length loss, Poly Anna is moving up in class Friday at Woodbine to a first-level allowance that came up weak, and the 1 1/16-mile route could be hers for the taking.
Poly Anna defeated $20,000 maiden claimers in her season opener June 26 and subsequently won another $20,000 claiming sprint for non-winners of two. She went on to compete in a seven-furlong combo event for Ontario-sired allowance stock and $40,000 non-winners-of-three claimers. After trailing the six-horse field through the turn, she made up some ground to finish third behind Hidden to Win, a next-out winner, and Pipers Journey, a contender in Friday’s seventh race.
Most recently, in her initial venture around two turns in another $40,000 contest, Poly Anna rallied along the rail from off slow fractions for second behind the front-running favorite, Wild Catomine, a stakes winner during her formative years.
Poly Anna has worked twice leading up to this event, and David Moran retains the mount. Moran and trainer Ricky Griffith have combined to go 2 for 8 at the meet.
Nine races were carded on this turf-free program, including a maiden special weight route that lured several promising 2-year-olds.
KEY CONTENDERS
Poly Anna (Last 3 Beyers: 71-60-61)
◗ The Kentucky-bred 3-year-old owns the highest last-out Beyer Speed Figure in the field. Her improving numbers make her appealing to form-cycle handicappers who aren’t big on the bounce theory.
Thalias Fire (Last 3 Beyers: 66-61-62)
◗ She ran evenly in a stalking position in a recent allowance won by a surging Teresa’s Pride. The favored rival she nosed out of third then, Trigger Finger, returned to finish second as a longshot in an allowance on the grass.
◗ She runs for a purse of $93,700 if you factor in Ontario-sired and Ontario-bred bonus money for competing in open company. The base purse is $58,600.
Mata Mua (Last 3 Beyers: 63-65-58)
◗ The Fair Hill-based 3-year-old is a rare Shug McGaughey-trained runner to make her way north of the border. The daughter of Arch added blinkers when earning her diploma in a recent maiden special weight race on the Tapeta surface at Presque Isle Downs.
Hurricane Mimi (Last 3 Beyers: 41-73-78)
◗ The 4-year-old is coming off a substandard showing in a 1 1/8-mile allowance won by Secret Action, who subsequently took the Carotene Stakes in an upset. She was previously in good turf form and has handled the Polytrack adequately in the past.